Young designer Alex Bradley has developed a prototype for a compact cooker for people living alone that combines a hob, chopping board, utensils and a WiFi-enabled screen so that users can call up recipes from the internet.

Called Single Person Cooker (SPC), the product is designed to encourage people in bedsits and bachelor pads to prepare healthier meals.

SPC is one of 31 finalists in the Concept Products competition organised by the Daily Mail Ideal Home Show, which takes place at Earls Court in London from 14 March to 6 April.

The winner will be decided by the public, who can vote for their favourite product both at the show and via the show's website.

Here's some info about SPC from Bradley:

Background of the concept

The following trends were highlighted at the front end of the project. These trends run in parallel encompassing social, demographic, technological and design areas. They can be summarised as the following:

1) The lack of development in the kitchen and kitchen appliance area of the last 30 years.
2) The rise in single person living and the reduced size of living spaces in these environments.
Furthermore predictions that this is set to rise and continue.
3) Peoples ‘on the go lifestyle’
4) The prevalence & promotion of ‘living healthy’ and ‘having a healthy diet’.
5) The development of connectivity and a ‘seamless environment’, encompassing WiFi technology and network systems.
6) Design trends in terms of form, detailing, colour, material and finish.

These areas provided the framework to design within and established the challenge to develop a product responding to and utilising these trends.

The Response; The ‘SPC’ Service System & Appliance

The ‘SPC’ with it’s WiFi connection, modular design and adjoining website. Responds to the eating habits, that are evolving to meet with the pace and structure of daily life, while making information available on producing nutritious healthy meals quickly and efficiently.

It aims to steer consumers away from ready meals and improve their well being as a result, while being an object of focus and discussion in the kitchen.

Taking styling cues from current trends the concept aims to deliver a contemporary take on kitchen appliances and remove those initial semantic values associated with kitchen appliances, to give an air of ‘what is that’?

The Intended user is primarily the single person and or commuter, where time is precious and preparing a meal is more of a chore than an experience to be savoured. Families, with busy schedules could benefit, together with wider ranging demographics.

Product Extension

The ‘SPC’ appliance seamlessly integrates with ‘SPC furniture’ to provide dual living and eating areas (allowing small flat/ studio entertaining). Thus challenging current perceptions of how we eat, live & entertain in our homes.